Improvement in pencil-sharpeners



E.v W.' FROST. l PENcIL-SHARPENER.. No. 192,752. Paume@ July 3, 1877;

`EZBA FROST, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN PENCIL-SHARPENERS.

Specification forming part of LettersiPatent No.

l92,752, dated July 3, 1877 application'led March 22, 1877.

To all 'whom itmay concern:

Be it known that VI, EZRA W. Fnosr, of

-Brooklym in the State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements relating to Pencil-Sharpeners and Point-Protectors 5 and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full and exact descriptionthereof.

Sheet-metal de vices lhave been proposed which were capable of receivingthe body of a pencil and allowing it to be turned therein and guided orheldin position while its tapering end is sharpened by rotation againsta cutting-edge. Y

My invention is of that class. I have contrived to overcome, by simplemeans, some of the diflculties heretofore serious with this class.

One difculty has been the tendency of the metal parts to spring out ofposition when the pencil is turned. The strain thrown upon the Sharpenertwists and deilects the metal. Econlom y of construction seems to renderit imperative that the metal shall be formed from a single piece ofsheet-steel struck-up by dies, or otherwise formed, into the propershape, partly cylindrical and partly conical. The joint where the edgesabut together is sure to twist more or less when the pencil is turnedaround in the process of'sharpening. The entire de- .vice is twisted andwarped by the force, so as to cause the cutting-edge to sometimes entertoo deeply into the pencil and break the lead,

. and at other times to refuse to take hold. l

overcome this difficulty by the use of a thin but strong hoop of metalpushed forcibly upon the device, and holding the abutting edgestogether, so that they remain about as rmly supported as if made from asolid piece of steel.

Another difficulty lies in the looseness of the hold when the device ispartly drawn oft' to shield the point of the lead, so as to serve as apoint-protector. I overcome this by forming large apertures in the sidesand incasing it in a contractile hoop or band of india-rubber.4 Therubber acts on the body of the pencil through the interstices in thesheet metal.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specication, and representwhat l consider thebest means lof carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section. The section is ou the lineSS in Fig. 3. Fig. 2 represents all the parts in `section except thepencil. The section is on the `line T Tin Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is across-section 6u the line U U in Figs. l and 2. Fig. 4 is across-section through the. contractile vband of indiarubber, oranalogous material, represented as detached. Fig. 5 is a side view ofthe steel portion detached.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in allthe'drawings.

A is the body of a lead-pencil made of common cedar wood, with a leadrunning along its center, which is exposed by Whittlingor otherwiseremoving the wood in the act of pointing. B is the sheet metal or mainportion of my sharpener and protector. lThe several parts are. indicatedby B1 B2, &c. Bl is the cylindrical body of the sharpener, which guidesthe pencil. B2 is the tapering point, having a sharpened edge, b2, alongone side of theloug aperture b. just snfdcientlywithin the cone-likegure to enable it to take hold properly and remove a thin shaving as thepencil is revolved against it. The edges of the sheet metal in the bodyof the Sharpener are formed, by a suitable tool, into minute notchesanalogous to sawteeth.

The band C is forced on tightly, and compresses the metal firmlytogether, so that its abutting edges are stiily braced against eachother, and the minute notches in the edges are locked firmly together.Considerable openings m are formed in the cylindrical portion or bodyB1. Through these the incasing rubber may press against the wood A.

D is a ring or band or envelope of nearly pure india-rubber vulcanized.It is drawn upon the device with torce, and tends to contract itselfinto the aperture m thereby press.- ing forcibly upon the wood A, andexerting a sufficient friction to hold the device in any position inwhich it may be placed. To increase the effect of this holding, theinterior of the rubber band D is formed with consid- The cutting-edge b2is erable projections or internal spurs. A little care tosc place theband that these projections shall reach in through the openings m,causes the rubber to press with force on the wood A, and to hold thewhole firmly together.

I believe that the rubber may serve with some eiect without the internalprojections, and that the holding of the edges of the sheet metaltightly together by the rigid band C may be effective without theprevious notching of the edges; but the provisions shown increase theeffect.

The device is not in the way for ordinary use as a pencil. The rubber Dmay, and preferably does, abut against the edge ofthe ring G, but shouldnot cover it. As the pencillead wears up it is easy to cut away the woodand expose more of the lead by simply turning the' pencil in theSharpener. When the pencil is to be placed in the pocket, the sharpenershould be partially drawn o, and will then retain its place by thecontractile force oi' the rubber to act through the apertures m, andwill serve as a point-protector.

The proportions of the several parts may be varied Within wide limits. Ihave represented them as varied somewhat in relation to the size of theholes throughwhich the rubber presses against the wood, which is muchless in Fig. 5 than in Fig. 1. I esteem the proportion in Fig. 5preferable for general pur` poses.

I' claim as my invention- The pencil-Sharpener and point-protectordescribed, composed of the sheet-metal portion B1 B2, having liberalapertures m, in combination with the contractile rubber band D and rigidhoop C, as herein specified.

In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set my hand this 19th day of March,1877, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

E. w. FROST.

Witnesses THOMAS D. STE'rsoN, A. HENRY GENTNER.

